UNO student wins “Big Fan” gameshow

Many people have a favorite celebrity but few have had the chance to meet them and test their knowledge about the celebrity while competing on a national television game show like University of Nebraska at Omaha student Colt Paulsen has.

Paulsen, a junior majoring in broadcasting, was on ABC’s new game show, “Big Fan,” Jan. 16 where he and two other Kim Kardashian West super fans competed to see who knew the most about Kardashian West.

In the end, Paulsen made it to the final round of the game show where he squared off against Kardashian West herself and won the game with a score of 7 to 2.

“I think I was the one who had the most points out of all four of the episodes,” Paulsen said. “I think I beat the celebrity the baddest. A lot of people were saying Kim didn’t know anything, but Kim did know a lot of things. I was just hitting that buzzer way too fast because I needed to get those points.”

Paulsen received several prizes for winning the game show, including a variety of Kardashian products, a signed copy of Kardashian West’s book, “Selfish,” and a “little fan” gold trophy.

“I’m probably going to just set it [the trophy] right by my bed on my nightstand so every night I can look at it,” Paulsen said, “but it’s actually an actual working fan. The fan actually blows, so I might have to turn it on every night and let it blow some air on me while I sleep.”

The episode featuring Paulsen was shot last April in Los Angeles and Paulsen wasn’t allowed to talk about the results. A multiple step application process of phone calls and skype interviews was required.

Paulsen describes seeing himself on TV as a “surreal experience,” especially when he saw himself in the commercials leading up to the show.

“I was surprised at how calm I was on the show,” Paulsen said.

“I don’t remember entering screaming since I was screaming when I came out to meet Kim for the first time. I felt like I was in my element.”

Paulsen’s mother, Tammy, was able to travel with him and watch the show be filmed.

“It was a dream come true for Colt and I,” Tammy said. “I am so glad I got to be in the audience to see his excitement.”

As for meeting his idol, Paulsen, who has seen every episode of “Keeping Up with the Kardashians,” said that even in real life Kardashian West is “a one of a kind person.”

Paulsen has been approached by several people around Omaha after the episode aired Monday but said he feels like he is well-known rather than famous.

“I was just at the mall today and four or five people stopped me to ask if I was the guy on the Kim Kardashian show,” Paulsen said. “It’s funny that when people see me they automatically think Kim Kardashian, so that makes me happy because I love Kim Kardashian.”

Overall, Paulsen said the experience of filming the game show has strengthened his interest in his broadcasting major.

“I’ve learned that I really want to really continue pursuing television production,” Paulsen said. “It was so much fun to be able to see the behind the scenes footage and kind of see how that works. Also I’d like to kind of continue to do on-camera stuff as well.”